hundred pounds besides, with which he got clear off. With part of this money Rumbold bought himself an eligible situation; but still he could not give up his propensity of appropriating to himself the purses of others. For many miles round London he had the waiters and chambermaids of the inns enlisted into his service; and though, to appearance, in an honest way of gaining a livelihood, he continued his nefarious courses to a great extent. He was not, indeed, always successful; but, having once been apprized of two rich travellers being at an inn where one of his assistants was, he left London immediately, and waited on the road which he had been informed the travellers were to take: long, however, he might have waited, for the travellers were too cunning, and pretended to be travelling to the place which they had last left. Determined, however, not to return without doing some business, he waited on the road: the earl of Oxford, attended by a single footman, soon appeared, and, being known to his lordship, he disguised himself by throwing his long hair over his face, and holding it with his teeth. In this clumsy mask he rode up, demanded his lordship’s purse, and threatened to shoot both the servant and him if they made the least resistance. Expostulations were vain, and he proceeded to rifle the earl, in whose coat and waistcoat he found nothing but dice and cards, and was much enraged, till, feeling the other pockets, he discovered a nest of goldfinches,[2] with which he was mightily pleased, and said he would take them home and cage them: recommending his lordship to return to his regiment and attend to his duty, giving him a shilling as an encouragement.